JNS.org – The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has ceremoniously received its first shipment of the new Lockheed Martin C-130J “super” Hercules transport aircraft.

In a ceremony last week at Lockheed Martin’s production facility in the U.S., the first of three aircrafts were handed over to the Israelis, who named the aircraft “Shimshon,” the Hebrew name of the biblical figure Samson, whose mother predicted he would be as bright and strong as the sun.

Israel previously operated an older version of the C-130 since 1971. The new aircraft will extend Israel’s long-range capabilities, allowing it to transport more soldiers, lift greater loads, and fly farther than the older version.

“Israel’s new C-130J builds on the tradition of its predecessors and offers the IAF unique capabilities that are not only proven, but without equal,” George Shultz, vice president and general manager for C-130 programs at the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, said in a statement.